Single phase hydraulic separator



April 5, 1960 H. H. MORRIS ETAL 2,931,508l

SINGLE PHASE HYDRAULIC SEPARATOR Filed Sept. 13, 1957 'fifvnullillllln INVENTORS HAROLD H, MORRIS SAMUEL. E, STONE BY M u V' A TORNEYS SINGLE PHASE HYDRAULIC SEPARATOR atet Harold H. Morris, St. `loseph, and Samuel E. Stone,

Berrien Springs, Mich., assignors to Whirlpool Corporation, St. Joseph, Mich., a corporation of Delaware The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus and methods for clearing liquid media of suspended solids, and more particularly to an apparatus and method employing a fluid clearing system for separating waste particles having large size variations and which reduces the iluid lost and is capable of periodic automatic flushing.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a greatly improved fluid clearing mechanism' and method capable of removing suspended solids from liquid.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which makes possible the separation of particles of greatly varying size without the loss of a significant amount of tluid.

A further object is to provide a system which accomplishes the foregoing with the use of a hydraulic cyclone separator.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for the separation of foreign particles from the lluid wherein the particles removed are temporarily retained in a collection vessel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fluid separation apparatus for removing foreign particles from fluid wherein the amount of fluid lost with the discharge of particles is controlled. v

A further object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic cyclone separator provided with a collection vessel for the foreign particles removed from the uid which is provided with means for cleaning the collection vessel and especially which is provided with an automatic flushing valve whereby the fluid media which carries the foreign particles, can be used for quickly and effectively flushing the collection Vessel.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent with the teaching of the principles of the invention in connection with the disclosure of the preferred embodiments in the specification, claims and drawings, in which:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view shown somewhat schematicallyV and illustrating the separation apparatus of the present invention; and, n

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of Figure 1. Y

As shown on the drawings:

Although the principles of the present invention are of general applicability, a particularly useful application of the present invention is made to a process and apparatus wherein a stream of liquid is driven through a liquid circuit and has liquid-immiscible components entrained in the stream. The stream is vertically whirled at one point in the circuit to produce a fluid vortex for separating out the liquid-immiscible components from --the liquid stream so that the liquid stream may be recycled to another point in the liquid circuit, if desired. Conventional hydrocyclonc means heretofore known 4cannot be satisfactorily employed to remove particles of large size and density variations since the underflow or discharge orice used for the discharge of foreign mate- 2,931,508 Patented Apr. 5, 196i) rials would have to be of such a size that the eliciency would be reduced due to pressure and ow reductions and a very large amount of the liuid in the system would be wasted because of the overflow characteristics.

Referring particularly to Figures l and 2, the hydraulic cyclone separator element 10 of the present invention is shown connected to receive the flow of Huid media through a conduit 12. The fluid is driven by a pump 11 and is received by aconically-shaped cyclone chamber 14 through a tangential inlet orifice 16, Awhich enters the chamber from an inlet fitting 18.

The hydraulic cyclone 10, which provides the cyclone chamber 14, may be of any desirable material and may be formed in sections as illustrated in the drawings, or may be of a single casting. As illustrated, the cyclone separator 1i) has a head portion 20 which has a cylindrically-shaped inner wall 22, having outwardly extending flanges 24 and 26. The anges 24 and 26 are provided with a plurality of holes 28 and 34 for receiving a corresponding plurality of bolts 30 to attach an end cap 32. A plurality of nuts-36 are engaged on the bolts 30 and a gasket 38 is interposed between the llanges for forming a huid-tight joint.

An intermediate body portion having tapered walls forms a tapered section 40 and is attached to the lower end of the cylindrical section 20. An annular ange 42 provided with annularly arranged holes 44 which are aligned with holes 46 in the flange 24 receive attaching bolts and nuts 48. A lower section 50 of the chamber has an annular ange 52 provided with holes 54 which are aligned with holes 56 in a ilange 58 at the bottom of the conical section 40 for receiving bolts and nuts 60 to secure the sections together. A fluid sealing gasket 62 is provided between the sections 20 and 40, and a sealing gasket 64 is provided between the sections 40 and 50.

The lluid is discharged tangentially into a cyclone chamber 66 through an orifice 16 thereby forming a vortex in the chamber 66. The iluid flow also follows a circulation path indicated by the arrows 68. Particles having a greater density than the fluid media will be forced by centrifugal action radially outwardly toward the wall 14 and move axially toward the base to pass out through the discharge passageway 70. The liuid from which the particles have been removed or eli'luent will leave the chamber through the vortex-finding tube 72.

The vortex-finding tube 72 extends axially into the top of the cyclone chamber 66 and the clarified uid or effluent is carried to a uid conduit 74 which is attached to a hub 76, secured to vcap 32 and integral With-the vortex-finding tube 72.

' The conduit 74 is provided with a shut-oi valve 78 which is normally in the open position shown in the solid line position of the drawing. A valve operation 79 such as a solenoid 81 having a plunger 83 connected to a valve operating arm 85. When the valve 78 is open, uid will flow to a location wherein it is used or directed to further units. The clarified fluid or etiluent is recycled or returned to the point in the circuit characterized as a treatment zone. Thus line 74 may lead to a unit using the cleared liquid where liquid immiscible components are mixed with the stream and complete the circuit by being returned to the inlet conduit 12. If desired, one or more additional cyclone units may be employed in the circuit. Each succeeding cyclone unit indicated diagrammatically at 80, is of the same general construction as the assembly described in connection with Figure l and includes the cyclone separator 10, the secondary outlet chamber 82, the collection vessel 84, the regulated overflow means 86 and the vessel llushing means 90. g Y

In order to drive the lluid through the liquid circuit v$2,981,508 Y l f 3 fofithe system, theif'eis "provided a pumping means which -may conveniently comprise -a positive `displacement pump 11.

While the clariedfluid or effluent is discharged through the vortex-finding tube 72, the 5imrnis'cible separated 'par- =ticles of a varying density greater. than the iluid media Tl'eave through 'the outlet passageway 70. The passageway is fsufliciently large to accommodate and permit re- -moval of particles of varying size. Y The-discharge passageway 70 communicates with `a secondary outlet chamber '82, having a cylindrically-shaped linner wa'll 94 terminating in a conically-shaped tapered wall 96 Tintersected'by an `outlet pipe 98. The secondary l"outlet chamber 82 is provided with a suitable connecting flange 100 having a passageway 102 through the wall of .the Achamber '82 in order that the vseparated immiscible `components of the liquid stream may be removed from the liquid circuit.

The separated solids or waste which is received from kthe cyclone unit discharge into a collection vessel S4. .The vess'el 84 forms a relatively quiescent pool and since only a `small amount of liquid accompanies the separated solids, the waste particles will follow the path 'of the arrows 104 and settle at the bottom 106 of the Acollection vessel. v

Accumulated liquid is discharged from the collection vessel 84 through an overflow outlet 103 having a controllable ow regulating valve 110 adjusted to permit a ow of fluid through the overflow outlet 108 in accordance with variable factors such as the rate of operation -of the system to accelerate the removal of the separated foreign materials. For example, by selectively adjusting the rate of overow, different sized particles through a wide range of size can be effectively accommodated. Thus, if larger sized particles are prevalent, increased overflow rate will insure eifcient removal.

The overflow outlet 108 discharges through a conduit 112 to a drain line, or is connected to return to the ycircuit upstream of conduit 12, thereby restoring the overow fluid to the liquid circuit.

The waste material settles on the bottom 106 of the collection vessel 84 and is automatically removed by an automatic flushing valve 90 and the shut-o valve 78.

When the collection vessel 84 is to be ush'ed, the valve 78 'is closed and the positive displacement pump feeding 'the inlet oric'e 16 will cause a pressure to be built up within the cyclone chamber 66. This pressure will be vrelayed t'o the Vcollection vessel 84 and the flushing valve 90 will automatically open to permit a flow of a'uid media from within the cyclone chamber 66 down through the collection vessel 84 to carry the settled foreign particles from the collection'vessel and out through the drain line 114.

The ushing valve is contained in a housing 116 suitably attached by a hollow threaded flange sleeve 118 to the base of the collection vessel. The hub 118 has a'n annular valve seat 120 at its lower end against which seats the valve head 122. The head is held against the seat 120 by a coil compression spring 124 in a manner so that the head will move away from the seat with an 'excess of uid pressure and the Valve is thus pressureresponsive.

The valve is supported on a valve stem 126 slidably mounted in a tubular recess 128 in the plug 130. The plug 130 is threaded into a sleeve 132, which is provided with a shoulder 134 for carrying the valve-operating spring 124. O-ring seals 136 and 138 are provided to prevent the leakage of uid.

It will be understood that other forms of separators could be advantageously employed with the collection and discharge vessel arrangement described above.

Thus, in operattion, the -uid carrying the waste and suspension is forced into the cyclone chamber 66 through the tangential inlet orifice 16 whereupon it circulates vortically as indicated by the arrows 68. The foreign ma- 4 Y terial is lost by the fluid to pass through the discharge passageway 70 'and the 'fluid enters the vortex-finding tube 72 to ow out through the conduit 74 to apparatus which uses the cleaned fluid or to successive cyclone elements 80.

The Waste material passes into the secondary chamber 82 and down through the pipe 98 whereupon it settles in the base 106 of the collection vessel 84.' A small amount of fluid Iis used to accelerate passage of the waste into the collection vessel and this fluid passes out through the overow outlet 108, and its iiow is controlled by the variable flow vregulator' valve 110. At periodical intervals the shut-off valve 78 is closed to cause a pressure to build up yin the collection vessel and cause the Vpressureresponsive valve head 122 to move away from its seat 120 and permit the uid to flush theA sediment in the collection vessel out through the drain conduit 114.

Thus, it will be seen that we have provided an lrn- 'p'roved Afluid separation apparatus and method which *isv adapted to clearing foreign particles from iiuid which lmeets the objectives and advantages hereinbefore set forth. It will be noted that the usefulness of a hyd'r'aulic cyclone separator is greatly extended and that advantages and operations herebefore not possible with such a separator are now feasible, and have been obtained. j y

The overall mechanism is extremely simple 1n construction and requires no adjustment or accurater'egulation during its operation. Yet, regulated operation can be obtained by adjustment of the amount ofvuidg'passing through the overflow, and this regulation is obtalned by adjustment of a simple valve.

The apparatus and methods employed thereby are welladapted to removing particles of large size varlations without the loss of a significant amount of iiuid. 4

Cleaning of the collection vessel is automatically and simply achieved by an arrangement which does not Irequire manual attention and the waste material isushed away using the same water or lluid which is being cleaned. Flushing can also be obtained by providing Va directly operated ushing valve with or without the use of a 'shut-off valve 78.

We have, in the drawings and specification, presented 4a detailed disclosure of the preferred embodiment of our invention, but it is to be understood that we do not intend tor limit the invention to the *speciiic form disclosed, but intend to coverfall modifications, changes and alternative `constructions and methods falling within the scope of the principles taught by our invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. A fluid separator comprising a separation chamber with 'a uid inlet tube and an outlet tube for the discharge of 4separated Huid, a pump for forcing fluids with 'suspended'solids into the inlet for separation circulation of the liquid therein, a solids collecting vessel, a solids outlet passageway from the separation chamber communicating with the collecting vessel for the discharge of separated solids, a secondary outlet chamber between the outlet passageway and the collection vessel, an outlet pipe projecting into the collection vessel from the secondary outlet chamber, an overflow conduit leading from the collection vessel, a ow regulating valve in the over- -iiow outlet to regulate the fluid leaving the separation chamber through the collection vessel, a flushing valve connected to the collection vessel, and a control valve in vthe uid outlet from the separation chamber whereby the control valve may be closed to create an increase of pressure in the collection vessel to automatically open the flushing valve and `Hush out the solids in the collection vessel.

2. A tuid separator comprising a separation chamber with uid inlet and an outlet for the discharge of Separated uid, `a pump for forcing uids with suspending solids into the inlet for separation circulation of the liquid therein, SOldS COllCtiOn vessel; means forming 'a solids outlet passageway from the separation chamber including a secondary outlet chamber communicating with the collecting vessel and having an outlet pipe extending into said solids collection vessel for the discharge Of separated solids thereinto, a shut-ofi valve in the outlet of the separation chamber to regulate the ow of separated uid therefrom, and an overflow conduit leading from the top of said collecting vessel having a valve therein to regulate the rate of overow and thereby adjust for removal of diiferent particle sizes in the separator.

3. An hydraulic separator comprising means forming a conically shaped separation chamber having a tangential inlet through which liquid is discharged to form a Vortex in said separation chamber, and including an outlet for efuent at the larger end of said chamber, and a discharge passageway at the opposite smaller end of said chamber, and means forming a secondary outlet chamber having an outlet pipe and a solids collection chamber communicating in series with said discharge passageway for receiving separated solids removed from the liquid in a quiescent pool of liquid in said solids coliection chamber and including an overdow outlet means connected to the top of said collection chamber to regulate the operation of the separator by adjusting the rate of overflow of the quiescent pool.

4. A vortical whirl separator comprising means forming a conically shaped separation chamber having a tangential inlet and axially disposed rst and second outlets on opposite ends thereof for vortically whirling a stream of contaminated liquid in said separation chamber, whereby eluent is discharged at said first outlet and separated contaminants are discharged at said second outlet, and means forming a secondary outlet chamber and solids collection chamber communicating in series with said second outlet and forming in said solids collection chamber a quiescent pool of liquid from the stream and receiving the separatedcontaminants, said collection chamber having a ushing outlet formed in a lower portion thereof for cleaning the collection chamber, means forming an overow outlet near the top of said collection chamber, and regulator means for adjusting the rate of overow of the quiescent pool through said overflow outlet, thereby to adjust the operating characteristics of the separator.

5. A vortical whirl separator comprising means forming a conically shaped separation chamber having a tangeutial inlet and axially disposed rst and second outlets on opposite ends thereof for vortically whirling a stream of contaminated liquid in said separation chamber, whereby efiluent is discharged at said first outlet and separated contaminants are discharged at said second outlet, and means forming a secondary outlet chamber and a solids collection chamber communicating in series with said second outlet and forming a quiescent pool of liquid from the stream in said solids collection chamber receiving the separated contaminants, said collection chamber having a ushing outlet in a lower portion thereof for cleaning the collection chamber, and an overow conduit connected to the top of said collection chamber and having a valve therein to adjust the operating characteristics of the separator by regulating the rate of overilow from said quiescent pool in said collection chamber.

References (ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 453,105 Bretney May 26, 1891 1,355,073 Brenkert Oct. 5, 1920 1,459,997 Shelly J'une 26, 1923 1,557,323v Perry Oct. 13, 1925 1,919,653 Hill July 25, 1933 2,346,005 Bryson Apr. 4, 1944 2,381,760 Latham Aug. 7, 1945 2,649,963 Fontein Aug. 25, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 501,733 Belgium Mar. 31, 1951 

